Ordinary People

The movie Ordinary People was about a family who was actually not ordinary, but ordinary in the sense that there is not such thing as ordinary. The setting looks like it takes place in the 80’s. The son, Conrad, seemed to be disturbed at first. It was evident that something was wrong with him. He had the same nightmare over and over and this was most likely the root o his sadness. In school, Conrad was quiet and inattentive. He was unlike a normal teenager because he didn’t have any friends or a social life. At home, he didn’t really converse with his parents. His father seemed more worried about him than his mother. Since Conrad was in the hospital for four months, it becomes clear that he is depressed.

When Conrad started seeing the psychiatrist, he revealed that he would like to be more in control. Conrad’s father was very supportive of Conrad. He showed him love and kindness, but Conrad’s mother was the opposite. She didn’t show Conrad any emotion and he seemed more concerned about herself and her family’s image. This is why she was so upset with her husband when he told one of their friends that Conrad was seeing a psychiatrist. The mother acts like she is uncomfortable around her son. I believe that she loved her older son more and she blamed his death on Conrad. She was not the only one though because Conrad also blamed himself for his brother’s death.

After two suicide attempts, frequent visits to the psychiatrist, and the death of his good friend, Conrad realized that it wasn’t his fault. He stopped blaming himself. His father realized that his wife had changed and he didn’t love her anymore. After the mother left with her emotionless attitude, everything seemed to come together. The movie ends with the father and son telling each other “I love you.” This is ironic because the movie was about how the mother didn’t show any emotion towards Conrad and how she stopped showing emotion towards her husbands and after she leaves they tell each other what she was afraid to tell either of them- I love you.